Astronomers Identify Potentially Habitable Exoplanet Orbiting Nearby Red Dwarf Star
Astronomers Identify Potentially Habitable Exoplanet Orbiting Nearby Red Dwarf Star
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Astronomers from the French Institute for Astrophysics and Planetology Research have announced the discovery of two exoplanets orbiting the red dwarf star Gliese 725 B, one of which lies within the star’s habitable zone and could potentially support liquid water.
The most notable planet, known as Gliese 725 Bc, has a mass about 3.4 times that of Earth and completes an orbit around its host star every 38 days. Researchers say the planet receives an amount of stellar energy comparable to what Mars receives from the Sun. If the planet has a solid surface and sufficient water, theoretical models suggest conditions could allow liquid water to exist.
Scientists also detected signals pointing to a second planet, Gliese 725 Bb, which appears to orbit the star every 4.8 days. However, current data are insufficient to confirm its existence, and it remains classified as a candidate exoplanet.
The discovery was made using the SPIRou instrument installed on a telescope at Mauna Kea in Hawaii. Researchers analyzed subtle stellar motion caused by planetary gravity, refining measurements with a correction system known as Wapiti.
Although Gliese 725 Bc does not transit its star, its relative proximity to Earth makes it a promising target for future missions, including the proposed LIFE Telescope, designed to study exoplanet atmospheres in infrared light and search for signs of water and potential habitability.
